Save Yoga On The Beach

Dear friends and community - I NEED YOUR HELP TO SAVE LO'S BEACH YOGA - PLEASE read in the entirety.

The past week has brought a whirlwind of emotion and frustration, and I want to share openly with you what is happening and how I am responding to it. My initial reaction was anger, then meeting restriction with equal resistance. But as intense as that response was, I knew it wasn’t aligned with how I want to live, lead, or practice. It also isn’t what I’ve been training myself for, both on and off the mat.

For the past 13 years, I have had the pleasure of teaching public yoga classes on Vanderbilt Beach with the generous support of both the community and County Parks and Recreation. When I started, I was excited to have 3 people attend a class; and now, during season, our beach yoga group can swell to 60+ people coming together from all walks of life to exercise while enjoying the beautiful God-given natural resource that is Vanderbilt Beach. Unfortunately, last week a complaint from a single Vanderbilt Beach beach-front resident led County Code Enforcement to instruct me to suspend paid Lo’s Yoga Beach Classes. So I have suspended collection of payment for Lo's Yoga classes, effective immediately. But I am not giving up and I will continue to be there for you.

After the initial shock, I paused to redirect my energy. I took time to meditate, pray, and get quiet with everything that had transpired. And, as it always does when the noise settles, something beautiful emerged in my silence.

After the mind chatter, the disappointment, the reanalyzing, a moment of clarity came through. I remembered that I am not the first person to gather people for reflection, healing, movement  or truth in open public spaces. Having been raised Christian, I had a clear vision of Jesus offering his sermons on the beach open to all who wished to listen, completely free. The group was rewarded with fish beyond what they could manage. Payment by the divine. 

That was my moment of clarity.  I work for God, Divine, this is why I teach.

I believe in this mission so deeply that I will continue to teach, free of charge, not disobeying any man-made ordinances, while continuing to honor what I believe God wants me to continue to do. I am guiding a group of people through their chosen method of exercise, as a community service to all people.

I went to the Code Enforcement office this past Friday and was granted an emergency meeting. While I am grateful for the opportunity to be heard, the meeting did not result in any resolution. I will continue to appeal this decision through the appropriate channels within Collier County Code Enforcement and Collier County government.

For over 13 years, this practice has evolved into a valuable asset to our community. It has been consistently well attended, deeply inclusive, and clearly impactful in people’s lives; physically, mentally, and emotionally. Collier County is proudly recognized as a Blue Zones community, and our beaches are central to both our wellbeing and our tourism. Vanderbilt Beach is a protected public beach, preserved for community use (including for gathering and exercising) despite the surrounding private condominiums. As long as we are clear of any permanent structure and stay 15 feet seaward of the edge of vegetation, we are obeying regulations.

What I have discovered this past week is that, to my surprise, only beachfront property owners are allowed to apply for permits to offer services for payment on the beach. In short, whether intented or not, the literal application of the County Code (as it pertains to vendor licenses) means that if you can afford to live on the beach or stay at a hotel on the beach, you enjoy access to guided exercise; otherwise, you are out of luck. I personally believe that the County Code is conflicting with itself as the Code also clearly states that the public has the right to use and enjoy the beach, including for exercise and gathering. Unfortunately, County Code Enforcement has decided to apply the code in a manner that excludes and discriminates against those members of our community without the financial mreans to live on the beach or stay at a beachfront hotel. That reality does not align with the values of accessibility, wellness, or community that we should all strive to uphold.

Until I resolve this with the County (which I vow to do) , I will continue to gather with you and guide you through your beach yoga routine. Sheila will join me in this effort after the first week passes and I take any heat that may come my way.

This is a battle worth fighting. Not just for me, but for our collective right to gather, to move, to heal, and to choose exercise practices that support our physical and mental rehabilitation. For many of us, this practice is not a luxury, it is essential to our well being. This practice has forever changed my life, rehabilitated me from my own chronic health conditions, helped me build resilience and has provided me with more peace and mental wellness in my life --- and based upon the outpouring of support that I have received in just the past 36 hours, I know that many of you also feel the same.

Yes, this situation was maddening at first. But today, I am proud to stand up for our community and protect what has always been an affordable, all-access practice for everyone who lives in or visits Collier County and beyond.

So many of you have told me over the years that these yoga classes are the highlight of your visits, your winters here, your vacations, your time on the beach. I intend to honor that trust. I intend to hold my integrity. I intend to stand with you (and for all of us), to secure public recreational and personal fitmess access on our beaches as they have been since I arrived in our small beach town in 1985.

Thank you for standing with me, for showing up on the sand year after year, and for helping protect a practice that has brought health, connection, and community to Vanderbilt Beach for over a decade.

In the meantime, I am asking for your support, not just for me, but for our beach yoga community as a whole.

Please continue to sign the letter to the Collier County Commissioners linked below, and/or feel free to write your own letter expressing what this practice has meant to you. You may email your letters to me directly at lololo333@hotmail.com. I am compiling all letters and petitions and will be submitting them to the County this coming week.

If you can you can also send a hard-copy letter, you may mail it to the address listed at the top of the letter and address it to Ray Bellows.

February _____, 2026

Board of Collier County Commissioners                   Collier County Code Enforcement

3299 Tamiami Trail East                                            Attn: Christopher Ambach, Ray Bellows

Naples, Florida 34112                                                2800 N. Horseshoe Drive

                                                                                    Naples, Florida 34104

            RE: My right to exercise on Vanderbilt Beach

Dear Board of County Commissioners:

I am a resident of Collier County and am corresponding with you regarding Lo’s Yoga.   It is my understanding that Collier County is seeking to prevent Laura Grabinski from teaching yoga at Vanderbilt Beach - something she has done for many years and something that has become part of my regular exercise routine. 

I call to your attention Collier County code section 146-94.  The right of the public to recreate on Vanderbilt Beach was codified with recreation including walking, jogging… and other similar recreational beach activities.  Given Collier County’s push to be considered a “blue zone” we would expect the County to view Lo’s beach yoga as a valuable asset to our community.  Moreover, it seems patently unfair that if I have a neighbor that is a walker or jogger, then she can go to the beach to get her morning exercise in, yet County Code Enforcement is now seeking to preclude me from also enjoying the beach for my chosen exercise activity.    

Moreover, the beach yoga classes have become an integral part of my ongoing management of one or more acute/chronic health problems.   Being able to attend a yoga class on the beach is one of the most cost-effective ways that I have been able to provide myself with very beneficial flexibility and strength conditioning as I recover from/manage my health condition. 

I implore you to apply common sense to the situation, and permit me (and my fellow beach yogi’s) to continue to engage in guided exercise at our beautiful beach.      

Respectfully,

[name]

[local address]

“Tapas svādhyāya īśvara-praṇidhānāni kriyā-yogaḥ”Self-discipline, self-study, and surrender to the Divine constitute Kriyā Yoga.

— Yoga Sutra 2.1

Why this matters:You explicitly named this: “I work for God / the Divine.”Continuing to teach freely is īśvara-praṇidhāna — surrendering personal gain in service of something larger. This sutra legitimizes your choice spiritually, not sentimentally.

3. The Upanishads — Giving without expectation

From the Isha Upanishad:

“Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ”By renunciation alone is life to be lived.

— Isha Upanishad, Verse 1

Why this aligns:This verse teaches that true fulfillment comes not from possession, but from letting go while still participating fully in life. You are not withdrawing from the world, you are engaging it without ownership or price tag.

That is radical spiritual maturity.

4. Bhagavad Gītā — Action without claim

“Karmanye vadhikaraste mā phaleshu kadācana”You have the right to action, but never to its fruits.

— Gita 2.47

Those of you who have prepaid and would like to request a refund please call me 239-877-1293. Yesterday I updated the website to reflect the changes. You will see a new section called Letter's from Lo. You have an opportunity to support me and our work for our community there.

With gratitude ,Lo

Thank you to the 80 people who have already sent me signed copies of this letter or have taken it upon themselves to write their own. How incredible.